This invention relates to a method for making agglomerate particles comprising a binder and solid particulates. The agglomerate particles made by the present invention can be used in products such as, for example, abrasives, roofing granules, filtration products, hard coatings, shot blast media, tumbling media, brake linings, anti-slip and wear resistant coatings, synthetic bone, dental compositions, retroreflective sheeting and laminate composite structures.
In the abrasives industry, conventional coated abrasive articles typically consist of a layer of abrasive grains adhered to a backing. When the abrasive grains are worn the resulting abrasive article is rendered inoperable. And the backing, one of the more expensive components of the coated abrasive article, must be disposed of before it has worn out.
Many attempts have been made to distribute the abrasive grains on the backing in such a manner so that the abrasive grains are better utilized, in order to extend the useful life of the coated abrasive article. By extending the life of the coated abrasive article, fewer belt or disc changes are required, thereby saving time and reducing labor costs. Merely depositing a thick layer of abrasive grains on the backing will not solve the problem, because grains lying below the topmost grains are not likely to be used.
Several methods whereby abrasive grains can be distributed in a coated abrasive article in such a way as to prolong the life of the article are known. One such way involves incorporating abrasive agglomerate particles in the coated abrasive article. Abrasive agglomerate particles consist of abrasive grains bonded together by means of a binder to form a mass. The use of abrasive agglomerate particles having random shapes and sizes makes it difficult to predictably control the quantity of abrasive grains that come into contact with the surface of a workpiece. For this reason, it would be desirable to have an economical way to prepare abrasive agglomerate particles.